The 10 most dangerous jobs in the country

If you think your job is boring, take a moment to count your blessings. If it’s boring, then chances are you’re not putting your life at risk while on the job.

The preliminary results of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’s National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries found 4,383 people died of fatal work injuries in 2012. That figure is slightly lower than the 4,693 work-related deaths reported the previous year.

According to the agency’s report, types of events that were responsible for fatal work injuries were:

Transportation incidents: 41 %

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals: 17 %

Contact with objects and equipment: 16 %

Falls, slips, and trips: 15 %

Exposure to harmful substances or environments: 7 %

Fires and explosions: 3 %

The report also breaks down the 10 most dangerous occupations in the United States. The results are based on the number of deaths per 100,000 workers. Check out the 10 deadliest jobs in the country (based on preliminary data).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction laborers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. This risk comes with the physically demanding work, sometimes at elevated heights, and in all weather conditions.
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Farm equipment, such as tractors and other types of machinery, pose the biggest threat to farmers on the job, according to the bureau. The equipment can cause workers serious injury, so it’s important to stay alert.
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Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

8. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 22.1

Total fatalities in 2012: 741

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 6,703

Median pay in 2012: $27,530 per year

Job description: Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area.

The bureau pointed out that between spending long periods of time driving, loading and unloading cargo, delivery truck and driver/sales workers have a very physically demanding occupation.
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David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 23

Total fatalities in 2012: 26

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 226

Median pay in 2012: $58,210 per year

Job description: Line installers and repairers (also known as line workers) install and repair electric power systems and telecommunications cables.

Workers in this field face a high risk of electrocution and of falling from elevated heights.
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6. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 27.1

Total fatalities in 2012: 26

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 192

Median pay in 2012: $22,970 per year

Job description: Refuse and recyclable material collectors gather garbage and recyclables from homes and businesses to transport to a dump, landfill, or recycling center. Many collectors lift garbage cans by hand and empty them into their truck.

The work can be repetitive and physically demanding. Because so much driving is involved, these workers are at higher risk of a traffic accident.
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Liz Dufour/Cincinnati Enquirer via Associated Press

5. Structural iron and steel workers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 37

Total fatalities in 2012: 22

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 119

Median pay in 2012: $46,140 per year

Job description: Structural iron and steel workers install iron or steel beams, girders, and columns to form buildings, bridges, and other structures. They are commonly referred to as ironworkers.

The work is frequently performed at great heights, and several work-related deaths among ironworkers occure each year from falls. They are also at risk of injuries from sharp metal edges and equipment, as well as muscle strains and other injuries from moving heavy metals.
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4. Roofers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 40.5

Total fatalities in 2012: 70

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 346

Median pay in 2012: $35,290 per year

Job description: Roofers repair and install the roofs of buildings using a variety of materials, including shingles, asphalt, and metal.

The nature of their jobs leaves roofers vulnerable to falling from roofs, laders, or scaffolding. Becausee they must work outdoors exposed to the sun during the summer, they are also at greater risk of heat-related injuries.
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LM Otero/Associated PRess

3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 53.4

Total fatalities in 2012: 71

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 232

Median pay in 2012: $98,410 per year

Job description: Fly and navigate airplanes, helicopters, and other aircraft.

Pilots assigned to long-distance routes are vulnerable to fatigue and jetlag. Weather conditiions can pose a hazard to the aircraft. Pilots also face the risk of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud engine noises.
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Robert F. Bukaty/Associated PRess

2. Fishers and related fishing workers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 117

Total fatalities in 2012: 32

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 53

Median pay in 2012:$33,430 per year

Job description: Catch and trap various types of marine life for human food, animal feed, bait, and other uses.

Because this job requires being at sea, it can be extremely difficult for a worker who has been injured on the job to get medical attention. Most fatalities are from drowning, according to the bureau.
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Christian Delbert/Shutterstock.com

1. Logging workers

Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 127.8

Total fatalities in 2012: 62

Total hours worked in 2012 (millions): 97

Median pay in 2012:$33,630 per year

Job description: Harvest thousands of acres of forests each year for consumer goods and industrial products.

Logging workers spend all their time outdoors, sometimes in poor weather conditions. The work sometimes involves climbing. Workers are at risk of injury from falling branches, rough terrain, or from contact with a machine or object.
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